A decade ago, speculating on crypto prices meant buying bitcoin and adding it in your crypto wallet. Crypto exchanges were not many and purchasing bitcoin was a feat worthy of bragging rights. In addition, liquidity was very low while there was barely any infrastructure. Cryptocurrencies were less of a financial instrument rather than a digital novelty.
The dominating centralized exchanges invented the idea that bitcoin and other crypto had relative value. The notion made it possible for them to speculate crypto’s value vs fiat. Since that time, there has been a slow proliferation of the variety of crypto derivatives which have transpired. It has therefore given traders nascent ways in mobilizing capital in a young ecosystem.
Cryptocurrency is still a novel idea. We are still trying to toy around with its capabilities. The decentralized unique features of the new technology are such that new financial instruments need to be gradually introduced in the ecosystem. The result is an experiment of how money markets mature.
Currently there are many instruments for enterprise bitcoin that exist today. They raise the fundamental question as they give a glimpse of where the crypto markets end up as a whole.
Theoretical Side To Derivatives
A derivative is a financial instrument used by traders to speculate the underlying asset in different ways. It’s derived from something else, and in bitcoin’s case, a scares asset only minted by mining blocks to support the blockchain.
Not only is bitcoin’s value derived from scarcity as a result of mining difficulty, to own bitcoin you would also have to control a private key. When derivative traders don’t trade using their own bitcoin exposure is possible without purchasing the physical bitcoin.
Mature markets like the equity markets maintain their integrity despite their diverse and enormous derivative markets. The explosion and the maturity of derivatives may hold back cryptocurrencies from achieving market capitalization .
The Form Adoption Takes For Derivatives
Many crypto derivatives are emerging, some unknown while some backed by well-known financial firms in fiat money. Others come with new value added blockchain elements. They come in shapes and sizes that allow various strategies to be implemented in the crypto markets. For instance the launch of the futures contract for Chicago board options exchange.
Bakkt, a new exchange feature from intercontinental exchange was launched to provide settled bitcoin futures in traditional markets. The first brick in the path to institutional investment has been laid, right before our eyes. Pension funds and venture capital firms already investing in the underlying asset can hedge their positions. Instead of a realization of a profit or a loss, they can affect bitcoin balance.
A Maturing Market
Liquidity as a result of derivatives continue to increase. Economists have estimated a less volatile crypto market, therefore providing an enticing lure of funds wishing to expose their capital to inclusive growth strategies.